A method for operating an appliance on a power grid operated by a utility is described. The method includes receiving, at a server associated with the utility, information indicating whether a person is present in a proximity of the appliance, determining, by the server, an operational state of the appliance based on whether the person is present in the proximity of the appliance, and transmitting to the appliance, via a communication link associated with the power grid, control information related to the operational state to control operation of the appliance. Related methods, devices and systems are described.

A wireless enabled load control device having integrated voice control is disclosed. The load control device may be connected to a variety of local and remote devices, including lighting devices and smart appliances, as well as various cloud service platforms. The load control device may receive a voice command from a user. The load control device may transmit the voice command to a first cloud service platform for processing to determine an instruction included in the voice command. The determined instruction may be provided to a second cloud service platform connected to the first cloud service platform. The first and second cloud service platforms may be connected to a device to be controlled based on the voice command. The cloud service platforms can adjust an operation of the device based on the determined instruction.

A method of remotely configuring access to at least one home automation device that is part of a home-automation installation, the home automation installation comprising at least one home automation device and at least one central control unit, and the method being performed by a first remote access service carried out by a management unit and including the following steps: receiving an information message relating to the presence of the home automation device from a central control unit to which the device is linked; determining a second service associated with the type of home automation device for which remote access must be configured with corresponding access rules; configuring an access rights reference system in order to accept at least one control command from the second service or transmitting monitoring data to the second service on behalf of the home automation device. The present application also relates to a control and monitoring method.

A server apparatus receives a device ID indicating one electrical home appliance among one or more electrical home appliances and a gateway ID indicating that the one electrical home appliance belongs to a same owner, a same group, or a same home as the one or more electrical home appliances, determines whether or not the one electrical home appliance is a newly connected electrical home appliance, using a management database that manages device IDs indicating the one or more electrical home appliances and the gateway ID, and when it is determined made that the one electrical home appliance is a newly connected electrical home appliance, provides an information device, which is associated with the gateway ID and which differs from the one electrical home appliance, with notification information for confirming whether or not it is to be permitted to collect the log information from the one electrical home appliance.

An automatic dock servicing system can monitor status of dock stations and/or dock station components, analyze the status to determine whether it satisfies a service condition for one or more service actions and, when service conditions are satisfied, cause the corresponding service actions to be performed. In some embodiments, a control panel can track a number of trailer loading/unloading cycles at the dock station. When the number of cycles reaches a threshold for performing a service on the dock station, the control panel can automatically initiate the service action. Some service actions that can be initiated by placing a maintenance or part request, sending control signals to a control panel or to dock station components, and/or sending messages or providing remote controls to other personnel.

Systems and methods for device control by a natural language processing system are disclosed. A user may desire to utilize a voice-enabled device to associate an accessory device with a hub device without having to utilize third-party software associated with the accessory device and/or the hub device. The user may provide a user utterance to associate the accessory device with the hub device. Audio data corresponding to the user utterance may be analyzed and utilized to generate and send directive data to a third-party remote system to transition the hub device to a join mode. Upon association completion, audio may be output confirming that the association has been established successfully.

A method at an electronic device with an array of indicator lights includes: obtaining first visual output instructions stored at the electronic device, where the first visual output instructions control operation of the array of indicator lights based on operating state of the electronic device; receiving a voice input; obtaining from a remote system a response to the voice input and second visual output instructions, where the second visual output instructions are provided by the remote system along with the response in accordance with a determination that the voice input satisfies one or more criteria; executing the response; and displaying visual output on the array of indicator lights in accordance with the second visual output instructions, where otherwise in absence of the second visual output instructions the electronic device displays visual output on the array of indicator lights in accordance with the first visual output instructions.

A system for collecting building environmental sensor data includes a first data collection device having a first transceiver that is configured to receive data from proximate building environmental sensors and a second transceiver that is configured to communicate with an external service. The device will, upon detecting that the first transceiver is within a receiving range of a first building environmental sensor, communicatively connect with the first building environmental sensor to receive a data stream that comprises sensor data captured by the first building environmental sensor. The device will continue to receive the data stream until the first transceiver either receives all of the sensor data or moves out of the receiving range. The device will repeat this process for additional building environmental sensors. The device will use its second transceiver to transfer the sensor data to the external service.

Doorbells often include a button to enable visitors to ring a chime to summon building occupants. In some embodiments, doorbells include a camera to take pictures of visitors. In several embodiments, doorbells include covers that are light filters. These light filters can cover infrared light sources such as infrared light emitting diodes. The light filters can pass infrared light while blocking visible light. In several embodiments, a front portion of a camera assembly fits through a hole in a light filter. Light filters can help secure camera assemblies and can form a portion of a doorbell's outer housing.

Doorbell systems can include a doorbell and a remote communication device. In some embodiments, the remote communication device can be communicatively coupled to a wireless network of a building, to the doorbell, and to a remote computing device. In several embodiments, the remote communication device facilitates communication with at least one of the doorbell, the remote computing device, and a remote sensor.